This Shrimp Alfredo recipe is a quick and easy 20 minute meal with plump shrimp coated in a perfectly seasoned, luscious sauce, served over tender pasta. A totally satisfying meal that’s perfect for a busy weeknight!
Enjoy this dish with some homemade garlic bread and a simple side salad for a complete meal.
Easy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Plump, juicy shrimp swim in a sublime alfredo sauce, perfectly flavored with simple spices, then tossed with tender pasta. This Shrimp Alfredo pasta is not only crazy delicious, but it only takes 20 minutes to make.
Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo is a weeknight dinner winner, but also nice enough if you’re having guests over. Get all your ingredients ready, since the dish comes together fast and you want to serve it right away while the sauce is smooth and silky.
Shrimp Alfredo Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Fettuccine (you can certainly use a different pasta, if you prefer)
- Large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- Butter (I always cook with unsalted, but salted is fine)
- All-purpose flour (you need this to thicken the sauce)
- Heavy cream (makes the sauce rich and creamy)
- Parmesan Cheese (use freshly grated for best flavor!)
- Garlic (for great aromatics and flavor)
- Seasonings (smoked paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, cracked red pepper flakes, and a pinch of nutmeg)
Recipe Variations
This recipe is so simple and wonderful the way it is written, but there are some tweaks that can work well, too!
- Add in some tomatoes. A 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (drained) stirred into the sauce gives the dish a subtle sweet flavor and a pop of color.
- Stir in a dollop of pesto. Either basil pesto or sun dried tomato pesto.
- Include mushrooms. Sliced mushrooms can be added to the sauce while it simmers.
- Use scallops. Try using scallops instead of the shrimp.
- Do chicken. Make our chicken alfredo instead.
- Vegetarian. Need it without seafood? Just leave out the shrimp and serve the sauce over zucchini noodles, steamed asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower.
How to Make Shrimp Alfredo
There’s only a few basic steps to this shrimp fettuccine alfredo. Here’s a brief summary:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Cook up your pasta.
- Simultaneously, make your alfredo sauce.
- Simmer the shrimp in the sauce.
- Smother the cooked pasta with the sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Shrimp Alfredo
A slice of homemade garlic bread and a simple side salad pair perfectly with this shrimp alfredo pasta recipe. If you want to add a vegetable side, oven roasted carrots or roasted broccoli are great options. And don’t forget some tiramisu for dessert!
How To Store leftovers
- To store: place any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge. It will keep up to 3 days.
- To reheat: transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Gently warm over low heat, or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, until warmed, stirring occasionally. It will soften and return to a sauce as it warms. If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in a splash of milk until the sauce is to your liking.
More Easy Pasta Recipes:
- Penne Alla Vodka (tossed in a rich and creamy tomato and vodka based sauce. ooh la la!)
- Baked Ravioli Casserole (made with ravioli, pasta sauce, and three types of cheese.)
- Creamy Lemon Pasta (so silky and lemony)
- Baked Feta Pasta (crazy easy and so good!)
- Spaghetti Carbonara (one pot!)
- Bacon and Peas Pasta (family favorite!)
- Tomato and Tortellini Soup (only 15 minutes!)
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp (31-40 count), peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- coarse salt and pepper , to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika (or cajun seasoning)
- 8 ounces (1/2 pound) dry fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , cut into cubes
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (omit if using regular salted butter)
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley , for garnish
- Lemon wedge and juice , for serving
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with a clean paper towel, then sprinkle with a touch of salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Toss to coat and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil; cook your fettuccine according to package directions, al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain well. Set aside.
- In a large nonstick saucepan, add the cream and butter over medium-low heat; whisk until butter has melted.
- Add in the minced garlic and all the seasonings; whisk until combined and smooth.
- Bump up the heat slightly and bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil) and cook for 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken and has reduced a bit. (Make sure your sauce isn’t boiling or it will curdle, and don’t stop whisking or you run the risk of the sauce sticking and burning.)
- Stir in the parmesan cheese just until melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Add in the raw shrimp; cook 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn pink.(If the sauce ends up too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time, to thin it out.)
- Take sauce off the heat and immediately toss with the cooked fettuccine noodles.
- Divide the pasta among serving bowls and squeeze a touch of lemon juice on top. Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped parsley, more Parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.
